Andru Pulu and Demitrius Bronson Take Part in Seahawks Mini-Camp Starting Friday, and Anthony Larry is Headed for Philadelphia Rookie Camp

May 12, 2014

Steven Forgette and T.J. Lee III are also among the former
Eagles waiting for professional football opportunities

Scroll Down for a List of Current Eagles in the
Pros

A trio of former Eastern Washington University football players
will get their opportunities in the National Football League
starting later this week at rookie mini-camps, including a pair of
players getting a chance with the reigning Super Bowl
Champions.

Defensive tackle Andru Pulu agreed to terms as
an undrafted free agent with the Seattle Seahawks last Saturday
(May 10) after the NFL Draft concluded. He will make the short trek
from his hometown of Federal Way, Wash., to Renton, Wash., for the
three-day rookie mini-camp for the defending Super Bowl
Champions.

“I can probably just catch the bus there,” laughed
Pulu, who was born and raised in the Seattle area only 10-15
minutes away from Seahawks headquarters and graduated in 2009 from
Federal Way High School. “It’s great to get to stay at
home and not have to go anywhere to get an opportunity.”

In addition, tailback Demitrius Bronson from
Kent, Wash., reports that he will join the Seahawks as a free
agent, and defensive end Anthony Larry says he
will head for Philadelphia for an opportunity with the Eagles.
Bronson graduated from Kentridge High School in 2008, and both he
and Pulu started their collegiate careers at the University of
Washington.

“It is just the first step of many, and all I wanted was
an opportunity with a team,” said Bronson of also getting the
opportunity to play for his hometown team. “Having it come in
Seattle just makes it even sweeter because you have the whole town
cheering for you to be great.”

Pulu and Larry were both coached on the EWU defensive line by
Ryan Sawyer, a native of Washington who is now in
his seventh season on the staff of head coach Beau
Baldwin.

“It’s a huge compliment to them, but our program as
well,” said Sawyer. “They are not going to take it for
granted, and will do as much as possible to make those football
teams. Both of them are great young men who have done a lot for
us.”

Offensive lineman Steve Forgette said his agent
is still in discussions with teams, and has also received interest
from Canadian Football League and Arena Football League
organizations. All-America cornerback T.J. Lee
III, who played in the NFL Players Association (NFLPA)
Collegiate Bowl in January, has yet to announce his professional
plans.

Pulu started all 28 games he played for the Eagles in his career
after transferring from the University of Washington. He earned
second team All-Big Sky Conference honors as a senior and honorable
mention as a junior. He had 79 career tackles, including six sacks
and 12 total tackles for losses totaling 31 yards.

“I’m just happy that I was able to pick where I
could play,” he added of going undrafted. “I would have
gone anywhere, but they were my first choice – either there
or someplace sunny.”

At Eastern’s Pro Day on March 12, 2014, he bench pressed
225 pounds 28 times. He also participated in Seattle’s
workout for local players.

“That went pretty well and they were able to know who I
was after that workout,” he said. “It was a solid
workout.”

Represented by Erik Schmella and Chris Ellison, Pulu also had
workouts with four other NFL teams (Houston, Green Bay, Cincinnati
and Oakland), and nine clubs were represented at a pro day
conducted for him at Federal Way HS. In all, Schmella said 24 teams
reached out about Pulu, and that “both Pete Carroll
(Seahawks) and Jim Harbaugh (San Francisco 49ers) called Andru
personally to recruit him to sign with their teams.”

Pulu said he is at 315 pounds and expects to see action as a
nose guard at this week’s camp. His last game as an Eagle
came in the semifinals of the NCAA Football Championship
Subdivision Playoffs back on Dec. 21.

“I expect there will be a lot of technique involved,
fast-paced and a chance to get back moving again,” he said of
the camp. “I need to knock off the rust. I still have some
work to do (to get back in game shape), but I will be good when
camp starts in August.”

Represented by agent Erik Schmella, Pulu will still have a
connection to Eastern in the next few years. His
“little” brother Jordan is a 6-foot-2, sophomore
defensive tackle for the Eagles. Although listed at 260 on
Eastern’s roster, he’s expected to play at 290 this
upcoming season. Andru played at 310 as a senior.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Larry was a third team All-Big Sky
selection this past season, and received workouts from several NFL
teams, including Philadelphia, after his eligibility was exhausted
last December. He started 22 of 38 games he played at Eastern and
finished with 122 tackles, 11 1/2 sacks and 32 total tackles for
loss totaling 107 yards in losses.

“I’m excited for them and all the hard work
that went into it,” Sawyer said of Pulu and Larry.
“It’s an opportunity to showcase their talent and a
chance for them to keep playing at the highest level of
football.”

“It puts a smile on my face,” added Sawyer.
“But now I hope they perform well.”

Larry, who is from Sacramento, Calif., and graduated from Luther
Burbank High School in 2009, was called by the Eagles early Monday
morning. He will fly to Philadelphia on Wednesday for the start of
their rookie camp on Thursday. If camp goes well, he said he will
sign a free agent contract with the team.

“Always an Eagle,” said Larry of the opportunity to
go from being an Eastern Eagle to a Philadelphia Eagle.
“I’m excited and I was anxious waiting for the chance.
The phone call woke me up out of my sleep, so that’s how I
started my Monday morning.”

Bronson earned honorable mention All-Big Sky honors in 2012, and
was a short-yardage specialist for the Eagles. Despite spending
much of his career injured, he finished with 600 career rushing
yards and 14 touchdowns, and caught eight career passes for 51 more
yards. He started 10 of the 29 games he played and had two
touchdowns on four occasions.

Bronson, who was also involved in private workouts with the
Seahawks, said he expects to formally sign with the Seahawks next
Sunday after the mini-camp. The 5-foot-10, 210-pound Bronson is
also a former Husky and played as a tailback at Eastern, but could
wind up as a fullback at the next level.

“They are bringing me in as a tailback, but I’m sure
they will move me around,” he said.

Eagles in the Pros

Since 1984, when Eastern became a member of the NCAA
Championship Subdivision (FCS), 72 Eastern football players have
either signed free agent contracts or have been drafted by National
Football League (NFL) or Canadian Football League (CFL) teams. Ten
have been drafted by the NFL and five drafted by the CFL to go
along with four NFL draftees between 1965-74. Eastern has also
enjoyed a recent influx of players into the Arena Football League
(AFL) and arenafootball2 (af2), as well as in the United Football
League (UFL) and Indoor Football League (IFL). Prior to that,
several played in the World League, which became NFL Europa before
it folded. The list below shows EWU’s current professionals
and the team they are currently with. The years listed are the
years they lettered at Eastern.